Wireless networks have been getting attention as a system that frees people from traditional wired communication systems. Typically, the wireless networks adopt such wireless LAN standards as IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, and IEEE 802.1g. Wireless LANs enable flexible Internet connections that not only replace the existing wired LANs but also provide Internet access at such public facilities as hotels, airport lounges, train stations, and cafes. By offering such advantages, the wireless LANs have gained widespread acceptance already. It is becoming customary to install wireless LAN capabilities not only in information processing equipment such as personal computers (PCs) but also in CE (consumer electronics) appliances including digital cameras and music players.
Ordinarily, a single unit of equipment serving as a control station called an access point (AP) or a coordinator is set up within an area constituting a wireless LAN, the control station providing overall control on the network. The control station coordinates the access timings of a plurality of terminals on the network, allowing the terminals to operate in synchronized fashion.
Illustratively, NTT Communications Corporation in Japan is offering a public wireless LAN service called Hot Spot (registered trademark). This service permits users' communication terminals to connect with access points set up by Internet service providers in such places as hotels, airport lounges, train stations, and cafes. Thus connected, the terminals allow their users to make use of the Internet in a wireless broadband environment.
For example, a user on the road may use the public wireless LAN service to transmit the data of pictures that he or she took with a digital camera (or a digital camera-equipped mobile phone) to a desired destination or place an order with a printing establishment for having the picture data printed on photographic paper. An imaging apparatus has been proposed (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-289619, hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) which allows the user to prepare order information while not communicating with any wireless LAN communication apparatus and to send desired picture data and the prepared order information to a printing establishment when subsequently moving into a public wireless LAN service area. The proposed apparatus thus allows its user to place an order for picture printing in a steady communication state while the user is on the road.
Where a traditional wireless LAN communication setup is in effect, each communication terminal scans usable nearby networks for the network of a particular Internet service provider to which the terminal subscribes. The network of the ISP has a particular service set identifier (SSID) for identification purposes.
Illustratively, a group of wireless LAN operators called the “Wi-Fi Alliance” has worked out a user authentication program known as Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS). This program is designed to facilitate the connection of wireless LAN devices to access points and the establishment of a security setup. As for WPS, see “Wi-Fi Protected Setup Specification (Version 10.h, December 2006)” for example. According to WPS, the apparatus for registering clients is called the registrar. At present, two kinds of methods are provided for authentication: a pushbutton method, and a PIN (personal identification number) code method. With the pushbutton method in effect, a dedicated pushbutton at an access point communicating with the registrar is to be pushed in conjunction with a similarly dedicated pushbutton on a client. The dual operations of the pushbuttons complete the security setup as per ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier) and WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2). Where the PIN code method is in use, on the other hand, each client is to have a previously assigned four-digit or eight-digit number registered with the registrar by way of an apparatus connected to the network of interest. According to the latter method, the client is connected to an access point where the ESSID and WPA2 setups are in effect.
The Wi-Fi Alliance has additionally worked out a so-called NFC (Near Field Communication) setup method whereby a token or a card need only be brought close to suitable equipment for completing the connection setup. NFC is an RFID (radio frequency identification) communication standard for permitting two-way communications over very short distances (e.g., about 10 cm) using a radio wave at 13.56 MHz. As such, NFC was adopted as an international standard “ISO/IEC IS 18092” in December 2003. Today, NFC is utilized extensively in such applications as personal authentication and settlement of electronic payments.
Many of the above-mentioned public LAN services are available on a chargeable basis. This means that each user needs to follow predetermined steps to settle charges when subscribing to the service (i.e., follow the steps to settle the service charge) besides setting up the wireless LAN connection. When settling the service charge, the user generally needs to access the Web page of the selected Internet service provider and input necessary information (e.g., credit card number) or go to the provider's service counter to make payments directly.
FIG. 19 schematically shows a typical structure of a public wireless LAN service. The public wireless LAN environment includes access points and user terminals. Each access point is connected to the Internet service provider (ISP) in question via the network. Each user of the service needs to register beforehand at a service counter of the ISP or at one of its similar outposts and pay the charge. Some ISPs may require the user to establish connection with their wireless LANs before proceeding to follow the above-mentioned steps at their Web pages.
When starting to use the public wireless LAN service, the user thus needs to take a great deal of trouble to set up connection with the wireless LAN through WPS or similar authentication procedures in addition to separately settling the service charge as outlined above. Such bothersome chores can be a substantial impediment to the user's decision to subscribe to the wireless LAN service.
There has been proposed a wireless LAN system (e.g., see Patent Document 1) which, when offering a Hot Spot-based service, identifies clients using identification information such as MAC (media access control) addresses. Upon elapse of a predetermined time period, the proposed system gives a new password solely to each legitimate client for password alteration at short notice in order to prevent illicit access. However, the proposed wireless LAN system has no capabilities allowing user terminals to settle service charges. Each user must register at a counter of the ISP or at one of its similar outposts and settle the service charge beforehand.
Furthermore, there has been proposed a wireless LAN access system (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-117488, hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2) made up of user terminals, a plurality of authentication and billing agency servers, and public wireless LAN Hot Spots. The user terminals each contain a server selection section for selecting one of the authentication and billing agency servers, and a server authentication section for authenticating the selected authentication and billing agency server. Each of the authentication and billing servers includes an agency section for taking over user authentication and billing steps, and a user authentication section for authenticating the users attempting access. The public wireless LAN Hot Spots are capable of connecting the authentication and billing agency servers with the user terminals having successfully undergone both server authentication and user authentication. According to the proposed wireless LAN access system, each user terminal can access secure and extensive networks without resorting to a prepaid scheme. However, the user of each user terminal is apparently required to set up a wireless LAN connection to search for SSID while separately following predetermined steps to select the server. Related techniques are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-260518.